China is actively employing a “presence as claim” strategy, utilizing coast guard operations and maritime law enforcement to assert jurisdiction in the waters east of Taiwan, mirroring tactics previously seen around the Senkaku Islands and in the South China Sea. China's opposition to the Japan-Philippines maritime boundary delimitation talks, conducted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), serves as a pretext to extend its jurisdictional claims into this strategically vital area.
From June 6-10, 2026, China conducted a “special maritime traffic law-enforcement and hydrographic survey operation” east of Taiwan, covering 1,030 nautical miles, inspecting 198 vessels, and harassing commercial shipping, according to Taiwan. This operation, involving multiple agencies, aims to normalize Chinese governance and collect data for potential future blockade operations and submarine activity. China is constructing a layered maritime pressure structure, with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, Coast Guard (CCG), and maritime safety vessels coordinating to erode the region's rules-based order.
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